I’ve been making these chai spiced meltaway cookies for years, and every time I make them they are a huge hit, so I’m sharing this recipe once again! This is one of the easiest recipes in my arsenal of cookies, and is always delicious. These chai spiced meltaway cookies are crumbly, slightly sweet, and the perfect pairing for coffee or tea. Made with powdered sugar, butter, and spices found in chai tea, these delicate cookies are just sweet enough to let the spice shine through.
These are delicious all year round, but to give them a holiday twist, I use a mini gingerbread person cookie cutter. Instead of tossing them in powdered sugar, I like to sift the sugar on top so it’s not as overpowering, and gives them an elegant appearance.
With the dough rolled to ¼ inch thick, and using a mini gingerbread person cookie cutter, (about 1.5-2 inches) this recipe yields about 50 cookies.
Chai Spiced Meltaway Cookies
- 1 stick of salted butter at room temp
- 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon powdered sugar, plus more for dusting
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- ¾ tsp ground allspice
- ¾ tsp ground cardamom
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon of water (if the dough is too dry)
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Cream the butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the spices, vanilla, and almond extract, then mix until everything is fully combined. Next add in the flour in two batches, and mix until a crumbly dough comes together. This is a dry dough (shortbread style) so it won’t turn into a ball, but you want it to hold together if you squeeze it. If it is too dry, add in a teaspoon of water until it holds together when you squeeze it.
Once it gets to that point, gather it into a ball, lightly squeezing it so it comes together, and place on a well floured work surface. Dust the top with flour and roll out the dough to about ¼ inch thick. Cut out your cookies into your desired shape and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking pad.
Note*** At this point, you can freeze the cookie dough, then bake them from frozen whenever you’d like. To do this, freeze the cookie dough on a baking sheet, then once it is frozen solid, transfer to a freezer bag or container. When you’re ready to bake, just place the pre-cut dough onto a baking sheet and bake as normal.
Bake for 7-8 minutes until cookies are just barely puffed and cooked through. They will still be soft to the touch. They won’t spread or get very brown. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes until transferring them to a cooling rack or cutting board to cool completely. While cookies are still warm, sift powdered sugar over these chai spiced meltaway cookies for an elegant and delicious treat! Happy baking!
